A key federal official who helps adjudicate claims by veterans who say they were exposed to Agent Orange has downplayed the risks of the chemical herbicide and questioned the findings of scientists, journalists and even a federal administrative tribunal that conflict with his views. Veterans Affairssaid his comments “did not fully or accurately reflect VA’s position”,and also saidhis quotes were being taken out of context.

The Virginian-Pilot and ProPublica have filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), accusing the agency of denying requests for documents under the Freedom of Information Act. The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction compelling the government to immediately release correspondence about Agent Orange, an herbicide used to kill vegetation during the Vietnam War.

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) has applauded the introduction of H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. VVA promises to work with the congressional cosponsors of the “much needed” bill to help get it passed. The bill would authorize VA benefits for health conditions due to exposure to Agent Orange toxicity in the territorial waters of Vietnam.

In 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs faces an array of decisions related to the herbicide Agent Orange, which contained the toxic chemical dioxin and was used to kill vegetation during the Vietnam War. The VA must decide whether to add new diseases to its list of conditions presumed to be linked to Agent Orange. It also faces calls to compensate naval veterans and veterans who served along the Korean demilitarized zone . Additionally, Congress passed a bill requiring VA to pay for analysis of …

For decades, Vietnam veterans have suspected that their exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange harmed their children. A new ProPublica analysis has found that the odds of having a child born with birth defects were more than a third higher for veterans exposed to Agent Orange than for those who?werent.

Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers found a link between service-related occupational exposure to herbicides and high blood pressure (hypertension) risk among a group of Army Chemical Corps veterans assigned to do chemical operations during the Vietnam War. The article includes a link to a free downloadable National Academy of Science report on Veterans and Agent Orange.

There are hundreds of provisions in the Fiscal Year 2017 Defense Authorization Act, including dozens to modernize military health care and streamline TRICARE. On health care, Congress relied on the work of the Military Retirement and Compensation Commission, and also on best practices from the health care industry. Included among many reforms is greater use of telehealth technology and encouragement of partnerships between the military and top-rated private sector medical providers.

A new study has found a close relationship between Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War and high blood pressure, a conclusion that could lead the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to dramatically expand the number of veterans eligible for compensation. A VA working group has been looking at evidence linking bladder cancer, underactive thyroid, Parkinson’s-like symptoms and hypertension to Agent Orange exposure.

The decision to add any ailments to the list of 17 conditions VA already presumes are tied to herbicides such as Agent Orange will be left for the next administration’s VA Secretary. For the current administration, the deadline has passed for proposing new rules for presumption of service connection to herbicides. Additional ailments that have been under consideration include bladder cancer, hypothyroidism and others.